A Study on the Integration and Innovation of Dehua Ceramics and Iranun Motifs

Abstract

Dehua County in Fujian, China, is renowned as the “hometown of white porcelain,” and Dehua white porcelain was a key export along the ancient Maritime Silk Road. In Sabah, Malaysia, the Iranun people possess unique geometric textile patterns that are a treasure of the region’s diverse cultural heritage. From the perspective of visual arts, this study explores how to integrate Iranun motifs into Dehua ceramic design to achieve innovative fusion of the two cultural elements. The research proposes an original Three-Dimensional Integration Design Method that works across three dimensions—morphological composition, decorative patterns, and cultural connotations—and applies computer software tools such as Photoshop and Blender to support creative design and optimization, thereby improving design efficiency and expressive power. Using a tea set that fuses Dehua white porcelain with Iranun motifs as a practical case, the results show that the method can generate works that carry the cultural meanings of both traditions while remaining innovative. Under the cultural mutual-learning context of the Belt and Road Initiative, this study offers a new approach to cross-cultural innovation in traditional ceramic art and contributes positively to regional cultural exchange and the development of the ceramic industry. Taking visual arts as the entry point, it also provides a replicable case for the collaborative regeneration of non-textual cultural heritage along the Belt and Road.